Plants · La Saladita, Guerrero

Mexican Ruellia

Ruellia simplex

Spanish: Petunia mexicana

Mexican Ruellia (Ruellia simplex)
Photographed by vctrndr on iNaturalist

Ruellia simplex, the Mexican petunia, Mexican bluebell, Britton's wild petunia, or Purple showers, is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae that is native to Mexico, the Caribbean, and South America. It has become a widespread invasive plant in Florida, where it was likely introduced as an ornamental before 1933, as well as in the eastern Mediterranean, South Asia and other parts of the Eastern Hemisphere. Most often recorded in Dec.

TaxonomyMagnoliopsida › Lamiales › Acanthaceae
Local records1 research-grade observation within about 50 km of La Saladita (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones)
Global records44,697 on iNaturalist
Recorded here2025 – 2025
Months recorded near La Saladita
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Recent local sightings

Interactive card with more photos, sounds and similar species Plants guide iNaturalist Wikipedia

Cite as: “Mexican Ruellia (Ruellia simplex) at La Saladita”, La Saladita Field Guide, lasaladita.com/species/ruellia-simplex/, updated 2026-09-26. Observation counts and months come from iNaturalist research-grade records within about 50 km of 17.8375°N, 101.7606°W (the survey box also takes in Zihuatanejo, Ixtapa and Troncones); summary text from Wikipedia where present.